Latchable Ramp Pallet 004

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and methods are described for an improved pallet for the transportation and storage of goods. The pallet disclosed herein has four walls that are at least 4 inches tall that may be lowered to allow the efficient removal of goods off of the pallet. The wall may be used as a ramp to slide the goods off of the pallet. The walls may be locked in an upright position to ensure the goods are secured onto the pallet during transport or storage. When the goods are needed, one or more of the walls may be unlocked and lowered so that the goods do not have to be lifted over the wall to unload the goods from the pallet. The wall may also be in the lowered position to allow goods to be loaded onto to the pallet without having to lift them up and over the wall. The pallet also consists of nine feet that are at least 4 inches high, which minimizes the risk of forks missing the pallet opening when the forks are inserted to move the pallet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of cargo carrying pallets and, more specifically, pallets to be use with forklift vehicles.

BACKGROUND

The use of pallets for organizing and transporting goods is an essential part of the shipping and commerce industries. Shipping logistics allow for goods that are manufactured anywhere in the world to be shipped and sold to customers locally. The present shipping models allows costs associated with transporting goods to be low enough to allow manufacturers to profit from shipping goods to any location.

A critical element of the current shipping model is the current pallet design and methods of use. Pallets are the foundation piece upon which the shipping model is built. Typically, pallets are loaded with goods and several pallets can be efficiently loaded on to containers. The containers can then be loaded on to container ships, which can hold up to 20,000 twenty-foot containers. The use of pallets to organize and ship goods maximizes every inch of space on a shipping vessel and is fundament to the efficiency of the current shipping industry model. Goods can be easily moved in manageable quantities by keeping them on pallets and shippers can organize goods and containers to maximize space and efficiency of transport.

Pallets also allow goods to be stored in an efficient manner. Goods may be stored in warehouses on pallets that are designed to be stacked several pallets high, further maximizing space and allowing for efficient retrieval of good when they are needed. Typically, pallet shelving or racks are built in warehouses to allow pallets to be stacked several levels high and retrieved by forklift.

Most pallets consist of a flat platform that goods are stacked on and wrapped to the pallet to secure. The benefits of using pallets to transport goods are that the goods can be organized in a stable manner, and moving the goods is easily done with a forklift. One problem with this design is that, during transport, the goods may slip off of the pallet, causing damage to the goods or injury to personnel near the falling goods. The average pallet can support the weight of up to 4,600 pounds. If the goods on a pallet, slipped off and fell onto nearby personnel, the injuries that may be caused could be devastating.

Some pallets are designed with short walls around the sides to prevent goods from sliding off. The walls stop the goods, which may or may not be enclosed in totes, boxes or bins, from sliding off of the pallet. These walls are typically about 1 to 1½ inches tall. While this design aids in preventing goods from slipping off of the pallet, it creates a new problem. Workers removing goods from the pallet must bend over and lift the goods over the wall in order to unload the last of the goods from the pallet.

Serious injury can result when goods are loaded or unloaded from a pallet, especially a pallet with enclosing walls. The risk of injury increases depending upon how heavy the goods are or how fatigued the worker is from the repetitive act of lifting goods. The repetitive motion of removing heavy items from a pallet can cause injuries to a person's back, legs, arms, or torso, particularly when it is necessary to lift the last of goods the over the wall of the pallet.

What is needed is a pallet that securely holds a large quantity of good, prevents the goods from slipping off of the pallet, and allows for easy loading and unloading of items onto the pallet.

The present invention solves this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention replaces current pallet designs and methods of use with methods and devices that improves efficiency and safety for workers that load and unload goods on to pallets, as well as for personnel working in areas where pallets are utilized.

In one embodiment, the present invention is an improved pallet apparatus for the transportation and storage of goods, the pallet has four lockable walls that are at least about 4 inches tall, which may be unlocked and lowered to allow goods to be easily loaded onto the pallet or removed from the pallet. The walls may be used as a ramp for sliding goods on to or off of the pallet, rather than requiring workers to bend over, lift the goods over the wall and turn away from the pallet with the goods. The present invention requires much less force and is less likely to result in injury to workers.

The walls may be locked in an upright position to ensure the goods are secured onto the pallet during transport or storage. The walls prevent the goods from accidentally slipping off. When the goods are needed, one or more of the walls may be unlocked and lowered so that the goods can be retrieved. The wall may also be in the lowered position to allow goods to be loaded onto to the pallet without having to lift them up and over the wall.

The walls are maintained in their upright position using latches. The latches attach one wall to two others. When goods are removed from the pallet, the latches can be disengaged to allow at least one wall to be lowered to a ramp position. The goods may be pulled off of the pallet, onto the ramp and to the ground, which requires significantly less force than that which would be required to lift the goods over the wall and away from the pallet. One the goods are removed from the pallet, the wall may be placed in its upright position and locked by engaging the latches so that the walls are maintained in their upright position. When goods are required to be loaded onto the pallet, one or more walls may be unlocked and lowered so that goods can be slid onto the pallet using less force than is required to lift goods over the wall to be placed on the pallet.

The pallet further consists of nine feet that are each at least 4 inches high. This design allows for a forklift to access and move the pallet from any side and with greater ease than that disclosed in the prior art, which may have fewer or smaller access points for a forklift to utilize. In one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus disclosed herein not only has more access points then the prior art, but the access points are also larger, which minimizes the risk that the forklift misses the access point, resulting in fewer accidents.

Thus, the present invention discloses a pallet device with high walls that prevents goods from sliding off of the pallet, but does not require workers to lift goods over the wall. Pallet walls may be unlocked and lowered to create a ramp to slide goods on to and off of the pallet.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the pallet interlocks with other pallets to further secure the movement of more than one pallet at a time.

The present invention also discloses a method of using the apparatus to load goods onto a pallet, which is disclosed herein. The method comprises disengaging at least two latches from a wall of the pallet, lowering the wall to a ramp position, sliding goods onto the pallet using the ramp, lifting the ramp to the wall position, and engaging at least two latches to lock the wall in its upright position.

The present invention also discloses a method of using the apparatus to unload goods off of a pallet, which is disclosed herein. The method comprises disengaging at least two latches from a wall of the pallet, lowering the wall to a ramp position, sliding goods off of the pallet using the ramp, lifting the ramp to the wall position, and engaging at least two latches to lock the wall in its upright position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 discloses a perspective view of the present invention wherein all four walls are in an upright and locked position.

FIG. 2 discloses a perspective view of the present invention wherein all four walls are in a lowered, unlocked and ramped position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention wherein all four walls are in a lowered, ramp position and boxes are loaded onto the pallet using the ramp.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention wherein all four walls are in an upright and locked position and boxes are stored on the pallet.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention wherein all four walls are in a lowered, ramped position and boxes are slid off of the pallet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following terms as used herein are defined as follows:

“About” means plus or minus 10% of the value stated.

A “pallet” means a platform upon which goods are loaded for transport or storage, which can be lifted and moved by inserting the forks of a forklift into the pallet's opening. Typically, a standard size pallet is about 4 feet in length, about 4 feet in width and about 4 inches tall.

A “forklift” means a vehicle with a pronged device for lifting and moving heavy items. For purposes of this disclosure, a forklift may include vehicles such as, a pallet jack, a front loader, a jacking device, or any other vehicle with a pronged attachment for moving pallets.

A “container” means an intermodal container or shipping container used for freight transport. Containers are typically 20 feet or 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8½ to 9½ feet tall.

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are outlined to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the invention.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a pallet is disclosed comprising a lowerable wall, which is at least about 4 inches high, and has at least two latches at each end of the wall to lock the wall in its upright position. In preferred embodiments, the present invention comprises a pallet with four lowerable walls, each wall having a lock at each end to secure the wall to its neighboring walls. The walls prevent goods loaded onto the pallet from accidentally slipping off, which can cause damage to the goods or injury to personnel in an area where pallets are utilized.

The type of latch securing the walls in their upright position may be, for example, but is not limited to, a cam latch, a compression latch, a slam latch, a draw latch or a sliding latch. The latch is used to maintain the wall's upright position by attaching it to its neighboring walls.

When goods are loaded on to a pallet, the goods may be contained in totes, boxes or bins, depending upon the size and shape of the goods. The totes, boxes or bins are stacked on top of each other to securely position goods in a stable configuration. The totes, boxes or bins can be very heavy if there are a large quantity of goods placed in each tote, box or bin. Repetitive lifting of these heavy totes, boxes or bins can result in injury to personnel who load or unload pallets. A pallet with a wall surrounding the platform creates an additional hurdle for workers to overcome when loading or unloading a pallet.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the pallet device further comprises at least 9 pallet feet that are equal in height and are about 4 inches tall. The larger pallet opening makes it easier to insert forks and move the pallet, thereby minimizing the risk of missing the opening and hitting the pallet with forks and accidentally causing the goods loaded onto the pallet to slide off. If, for example, the pallet was located on a high shelf, goods sliding off of the pallet and falling on to nearby personnel could cause serious injury.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the pallet further comprises interlockable barrier walls to securely stack or move more than one pallet at a time. The interlockable barrier walls fit into pallets stacked above and below the platform to create a more stable column of goods for transport.

A method of unloading items from the device disclosed herein. The method comprising unlocking and lowering at least one wall to create a ramp, sliding an item off of the pallet using the ramp, raising the wall and engaging the lock to secure the wall's upright position.

A method of loading items from the device is also disclosed herein. The method comprising unlocking and lowering at least one wall to create a ramp, sliding an item on to the pallet using the ramp, raising the wall and engaging the lock to secure the wall's upright position.

In one embodiment, the pallet may be comprised entirely of high density polyethylene. In other embodiments, the pallet is comprised of other plastics, metal or wood.

Although the invention has been disclosed in terms of specific embodiments herein, in light of these teachings, one of ordinary skill in the art may generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit or the scope of the claimed invention. It is understood that the examples and descriptions disclosed herein are merely to facilitate understanding of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.

It is well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art how these technologies function. 

1. A pallet device comprising: a lowerable wall at least about 4 inches high; and a latch at each end of each wall that attaches to its neighboring wall to maintain the wall's upright position.
 2. The pallet device of claim 1, further comprising at least 9 pallet feet that are equal in height and are at least about 4 inches tall.
 3. The pallet device of claim 1, further comprising interlockable barrier walls to securely stack or move more than one pallet.
 4. A method of loading items from the device disclosed in claim 1, the method comprising: disengaging a latch at each end of a wall of the device; lowering at least one wall to create a ramp; sliding an item on to the pallet using the ramp; raising the wall; and engaging the lock to secure the wall's upright position.
 5. A method of unloading items from the device disclosed in claim 1, the method comprising: disengaging a latch at each end of a wall of the device; lowering at least one wall to create a ramp; sliding an item off of the pallet using the ramp; raising the wall; and engaging the lock to secure the wall's upright position.
 6. The method disclosed in claim 4, wherein the item is a box.
 7. The method disclosed in claim 4, wherein the item is a bin.
 8. The method disclosed in claim 4, wherein the item is a tote.
 9. The method disclosed in claim 4, wherein the item is a good for sale in commerce.
 10. The method disclosed in claim 5, wherein the item is a box.
 11. The method disclosed in claim 5, wherein the item is a bin.
 12. The method disclosed in claim 5, wherein the item is a tote.
 13. The method disclosed in claim 5, wherein the item is a good for sale in commerce. 